Resource: Declining Profits
Media Type:
QuickTime Video
Length: 3m 13s
Size: 4.9 MB
In 2002, the Indian government approved the sale of Bt cotton seeds, seeds that are genetically modified to resist pest infestation. In the region of Vidarbha, many farmers have abandoned using their own farm-grown seeds and have become accustomed to buying Bt cotton seeds. Unable to afford the expensive seeds, cotton farmers often take out loans for their purchases. This, along with declining cotton prices, can send farmers into a cycle of endless debt. In this Wide Angle video, cotton farmer Hanjari Chavan takes out a considerable loan and then uses nearly half of his funds to purchase Bt cotton seeds.
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Loading reviews...Teachers' Domain, Declining Profits, published August 22, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/wa08.socst.world.glob.declining/
- Background Essay
- Questions for Discussion
- Standards
Print Background EssayFor better or worse, the 21st century has given rise to an international form of trade known as globalization. Globalization can be defined as the worldwide integration of economic, cultural, political, religious, and social systems. The term, associated with free trade practices believed by many to benefit large multinational corporations at the expense of small farmers in developing nations, ignites controversy at its very mention. Its impact can be felt far beyond the economic sector and cannot be easily assessed.
Proponents of globalization believe it expands economic freedom and encourages competition. They believe that globalization raises the productivity and living standards of people in countries that open themselves to the global marketplace. Among those living in less developed countries, globalization offers access to foreign money, an opportunity to trade in global markets, and access to the benefits of modern technology. Globalization's strongest supporters suggest that a globalized world will result in the reduction of poverty, higher standards of living and greater democracy.
Opponents of globalization dispute these claims, aruging that the disparity between haves and have-nots has become more acute and that the environmental damage being caused by many corporations is irreparable. These critics feel that citizens of the developing world have suffered at the hands of globalization, that they have been seduced by Western consumerism, and exploited by international institutions intent on increasing profits at the expense of the domestic laborer.
Nowhere can this conflict be seen more clearly than among the cotton farmers of Vidarbha, India. As recently as July 2007, Reuters reported that farmers from the wealthy state of Maharashtra have been committing suicide at an alarming rate. Tempted by the promise of prosperity, farmers borrow money to purchase a controversial, genetically modified cotton seed.
The expensive seed requires ample water sources that are unavailable to most Indian farmers. The rising cost of chemical fertilizers and the plummeting price of cotton contribute to the economic plight of the farmers in this region. Distraught and desperate, indebted farmers have taken their lives rather than face the consequences of financial ruin.
"The Dying Fields" provides a glimpse into the shattered lives of families who have endured these suicides, and encourages its audience to examine the impact of globalization on the region. Critics of free trade policies, lack of government subsidies, and failed government relief efforts share their concern for the fate of Vidarbha's farmers.
We assign reference terms to each statement within a standards document and to each media resource, and correlations are based upon matches of these terms for a given grade band. If a particular standards document of interest to you is not displayed yet, it most likely has not yet been processed by ASN or by Teachers' Domain. We will be adding social studies and arts correlations over the coming year, and also will be increasing the specificity of alignment.Source: Wide Angle: "The Dying Fields"
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